Dgcr6 - DiGeorge syndrome critical region gene 6

This gene encodes a protein that is similar to the gonadal protein in Drosophila (fruit fly). The encoded protein is thought to play a role in migration of neural crest cells during development. Deletions in the human gene are associated with DiGeorge syndrome (or velocardiofacial syndrome) which has many clinical features including cardiac abnormalities, cleft palate, atypical facial features, hypocalcemia, hypoparathyroidism and defective development or congenital absence of the thymus. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Jan 2014]